The Others

Celestia is on the brink of committing a crime.

She always knew herself to be patient and level-headed, but it seems like there's something about Theodore Favero that riles her up. Even his mere presence is annoying the hell out of her, what more if he starts to talk?

And what he talks about— doon natatapos ang pagpipigil ni Celestia sa sarili na huwag ng patulan ang lalake. Lagi niyang pinapaalala sa sarili niya na anak 'yon ng Headmaster na tumutulong sa kanya ngayon. But the guy makes it hard not to curse the hell out of him.

Lagpas dalawang linggo na mula nung mapadpad si Celestia sa Mystic Institute, at dalawang linggo na rin niyang pilit pinakikisamahan ang anak ng Headmaster. Sinusubukan niyang 'wag makasama sa iisang lugar ang lalake, pero parang buntot ito na laging nakasunod sa kanya. Kung pwede ngang pati sa pagtulog ay baka samahan din siya nito.

She thinks it's because he took what the Headmaster told him seriously. Kinabukasan matapos nung 'tour' na ginawa nila, inanunsyo ng Headmaster sa kanilang dalawa na hindi niya magagawang mag-stay nang matagal sa castle dahil may kailangan siyang asikasuhin sa pack nila, kaya ibinilin nito sa anak na bantayan si Celestia, at siguraduhing komportable ito sa castle.

And the dolt took it quite seriously, dahil talagang binabantayan nito kahit saan o kahit anong gawin ni Celestia. Ayaw naman niya mag-stay lang sa kwarto niya dahil nababagot siya. Pero oras na lumabas siya ng kwarto, parang may alarm 'yung lalake na nagb-bell dahil nakasunod na agad siya.

Buti sana ay kung nae-enjoy ni Celestia 'yung company niya e, kaso hindi. She preferred to be alone dahil wala namang ibang ginawa si Theodore kundi ang pilosopohin o makipagtalo sa kanya. At dahil si Theodore siya, pinapatulan din ni Celestia ang pinagsasabi nito.

Hindi na rin na-meet ni Celestia 'yung lalakeng nakausap niya sa forest. Sabi nito'y estudyante rin siya, but she never see him around during meal times. Mas lalong hindi niya ito mahagilap sa ibabg parts ng castle. She never saw him again at the forest kahit naka-ilang balik na siya doon. Sometimes, Celestia thinks the guy with red eyes and messy brown hair is just a figment of her imagination, and feels sad about it.

She wants to meet him again. He's the second magical being that she met, who seemed to be the same age as her, and he was far kinder than Theodore.

The bell rang, indicating that breakfast is about to start. Maagang nagising si Celestia kaya maaga rin siyang nakapag-ayos. Ayaw niya lang talaga lumabas ng kwarto dahil makikita na naman niya si Theodore, at 'yun ang iniiwasan niya.

Pero gutom na siya, kaya kahit ayaw man niya lumabas, kelangan niya pa ring kumain.

Alam na niya halos ang pasikot-sikot sa castle dahil sa dalawang linggo niyang pag-stay sa castle, lagi niyang nililibot ang lugar para makabisado ito. Kaya madali na lang para sa kanya ang magpuntang dining hall dahil nakabisado na niya ito. Theodore doesn't pick her up to walk her to the dining hall, kaya pilit niyang inalala ang daan patungo doon kung gusto niyang makakain.

She expected the usual dreadful meal time consisting of her and the Headmaster's rude son, and had already braced herself to the guy's rude remarks and cold arrogance.

What she didn't expect is four other people on their usual table.

The people sitting on the table halted on whatever they were talking about once Celestia entered the dining hall. Hindi alam ni Celestia kung tutuloy ba siyang pumunta sa usual table nila, o hindi na lang siya kakain muna.

Because she doesn't want to sit on a different table, alone. She would rather go back to her room starving than eat like a loner.

Akmang tatalikod na sana si Celestia dahil naco-conscious na siya sa titig ng limang nasa table pero tumayo 'yung isang babae at lumapit sa kanya. Once she's nearing, Celestia sees she has the same jet black, wavy hair like Theodore. The same shape of lips and eyebrows. The only different feature she has from Theodore is her eyes— it’s dark brown, while Theodore has blue eyes.

It's easy to guess she's Theodore's sister, seeing that they also looked the same-age.

"Hi! You must be Celestia? The special transferee that the Headmaster had told us?" She brightly greeted Celestia.

"Not really a special transferee... but yes, I'm Celestia," Celestia shyly responded. "I presume you are Theodore's sister?"

"Twin sister, unfortunately," sagot ng babae at madramang bumuntong hininga. Bahagyang napangiti si Celestia sa sagot nito.

"Anyway, I'm Hestia Favero. It's nice to finally meet the girl who's—"

"Ano pang tinatayo-tayo niyong dalawa diyan? Huwag niyo nga paghintayin 'yung pagkain!"

Hestia and Celestia simultaneously rolled their eyes upon hearing Theodore. Sabay din silang natawa nang ma-realize ang ginawa.

"He's a real asshole, isn't he?" mahinang sambit ni Hestia, na tinanguan naman ni Celestia.

"I can hear you, you idiot," Theodore hissed at his twin.

"I know. And?" Hestia raised an eyebrow, gently pulling Celestia to sit on the seat between her and the other girl.

"Don't mind the twins. Ako nga pala si Pixie Andromeda. I'm a light witch!" pagpapakilala nung isa pang babae. She has short, purple hair and a small, pointed nose. Halos ma-starstruck si Celestia dahil maging ang mga mata ng dalaga ay purple rin.

Bago pa man makapagsalita si Celestia, inagaw ng isang lalake ang atensyon niya.

"Hi! I'm Nash, a shapeshifter. Pleased to meet the girl—ow! Sino 'yon?! Masakit 'yun ah!" ngumingiwing sambit ng lalake habang hinihimas ang binti nito.

Kumunot ang noo ni Celestia rito.

"Don't eat with your mouth full," malamig na sambit ni Theodore kay Nash. Napalunok ang lalake at tumango na lang.

"Okay!" Pagbasag ni Hestia sa awkward atmosphere na biglang namuo sa table nila. "And that's Columbus, he's a vampire."

Tinignan ni Celestia 'yung katabing lalake ni Theodore pero hindi siya nito pinansin. Walang pagbati o kahit tango man lang.

"'Wag mong damdamin pag 'di ka pinansin ni Columbus, o kung sungitan ka man niya. Ganyan kasi talaga siya kahit sa'min," bulong ni Hestia rito, na tinanguan naman ni Celestia.

"Ngayon na ba ang balik ng mga students?" tanong ni Celestia.

"Nope, it's just us. Next week pa ang balik ng mga professors, staff at students. Maaga lang talaga kami laging bumabalik dito," Pixie answered.

"Anyway!" malakas na sambit ni Hestia. "I assume you know what Being I am? As well as my asshole twin?"

"Hey—"

"Yup. Werewolf, right?" pagputol ni Celestia sa akmang pag-angal ni Theodore. Hindi niya pinansin ang masamang tinging ipinukol ng lalake sa kanya.

"Right! How about you? Since, you know, you already know of us."

Celestia noticed how Theodore slightly perked up at that. Only then she realized na hindi pala niya nabanggit kung anong Being siya. Not like he asked, or it came up. Puro bangayan lang naman kasi silang dalawa.

She hesitated for a moment, knowing how the society perceived hybrids. What more of her na may tatlong magkakaibang dugo?

But then she remembered what her parents and relatives told her before she escaped: that it wasn't shameful, and that she is a blessing.

So she truthfully answered.

"I'm a hybrid," sagot ni Celestia. "I have a werewolf, vampire and witch blood."

Silence befell on them. Napaawang ang labi ni Hestia at Pixie, nanlalaki ang mga mata ni Nash na napatingin dito. Si Columbus na kanina'y tahimik lang na kumakain ay napaangat ang tingin sa kaniya, regarding her with a look that Celestia can only interpret as doubt. Habang si Theodore naman ay diretso lang ang tingin sa dalaga, a look in his blue eyes that Celestia can't decipher.

"Wicked," Nash muttered reverently, making Celestia grin at him, warmth filling her chest at the first positive reaction she gained.

"If you have three different blood... ibig sabihin ba niyan hybrid din ang mga magulang mo?" kuryosong tanong ni Pixie.

Tumango si Celestia, "Mom is half-witch and half-vampire. My father is a pureblood werewolf."

Something flashing in Pixie's eyes that Celestia didn't catch. It disappears as quickly as it comes.

"That's so freaking wicked!" Nash exclaimed. "But that's so tiring when you start school."

Celestia frowned, "Why?"

"Has no one explained to you how classes work here?" tanong ni Hestia.

"Meron. But how is that related to me being a hybrid?"

"I guess they didn't explain it to you that much," sambit ni Hestia, tapos ay sinamaan ng tingin ang kakambal na nakatitig pa rin kay Celestia.

"I assume you already know the three kinds of classes?" Tumango si Celestia. "Okay. So the General Academic consists of eight classes, Electives has five, and the Specialized classes are eight. You already have eight classes from the General Academics, tapos depends on what Being you are, may naka-assign ng dalawang Specialized classes for you. And since you have three different blood..."

"I have six Specialized classes." Celestia finished Hestia's sentence with a groan. She's so excited at the thought of formally learning that it didn't sink in her mind just how many subjects she has to learn, and why it didn't dawn on her immediately after what that guy in the forest explained it to her.

And speaking of guy... naalala ni Celestia kung paano ito saglit na natigilan nang malaman ang mga subjects na itinuro sa kanya ng mga magulang at relatives niya. Based on his reaction, mukhang na-realize na nito kung anong Being si Celestia.

"Unfortunately," the girls and Nash sympathetically retorted.

"Pero... fourteen classes are not that far from what my parents and relatives taught me. Halos thirteen subjects din pala ang itinuro nila sa'kin, maliban sa Combat Training and Weaponry."

"Oh? You were homeschooled?"

Celestia nodded. "They studied here too."

"Then how come hindi ka na lang nila pinag-aral dito?"

"Uh..." napalunok si Celestia. "That's... I can't answer it. I'm sorry."

"That's fine!" Hestia quickly assured her. "Hindi mo kailangang sumagot if you're not comfortable."

Celestia flashed her a grateful smile.

"Do you have anything else you wanted to ask? It seems like walang naitulong sa'yo ang kakambal ko. You can ask us right now if you have some questions regarding the school or campus."

Theodore shoots his twin a glare, which gets promptly ignored.

Celestia hums, thinking carefully for anything she wants to know. "Oh! How about my things? Like, you know, books, paper, uniform..."

"The Headmaster had it covered," it was Theodore who answered it. Lahat sila'y napatingin dito, but the guy just raised an eyebrow at them and said nothing else.

Hestia turned back to Celestia with a grin. "You heard the lad. Bukas pa ang dating ng Headmaster so baka bukas mo pa makuha mga gamit mo."

Celestia nodded her head. "How about rooms? May kani-kaniyang rooms ba lahat ng students dito?"

"No," Pixie answered. "There's a designated wing in the castle where the dormitories are. The boys' dormitories is on the left wing, and ours is on the opposite."

"Mostly ang magkaka-room ay yearmates. We're already in our eight year. How about you?" Hestia asked.

"I honestly don't know. Sabi sa'kin, baka bigyan daw ako ng Assessment para matignan kung makakasabay ba ako sa dapat kong year. I'm already seventeen, by the way."

"We're just the same age!" sambit ni Nash.

"That's great," Celestia smiled.

"Since sabi mo nag-homeschool ka naman ng mga same subjects, baka nga ilagay ka sa year namin. Unless hindi mo mapasa 'yung assessment."

"I'm pretty confident about it, actually," Celestia grinned shyly.

Nash, Pixie and Hestia's simultaneous 'ooh' had Celestia laughing.

The four of them continued chatting while Theodore and Columbus remained silent, the latter looking bored to the world and there's Theodore who's face is as impassive as ever, but his eyes are trained on Celestia, as if deciphering the girl.

"I have something bothering me..." Celestia suddenly blurted out once their laughter ceased.

"Ano 'yun?" tanong ni Pixie.

"My Uncle..." tumikhim si Celestia nang maramdaman ang pagbabara sa lalamunan, feeling herself getting emotional at the reminder of her uncle na hindi niya alam ang kalagayan ngayon. "Sinabi niya sa'kin na hybrids are frowned upon in our world. Is that true?"

Napaiwas ng tingin ang tatlo, which made Celestia's heart plummet to the ground. It's a silent confirmation, not wanting to offend her. But she isn't. They weren't judging or insulting her. It doesn't change the fact that there might be some students here who would frown at her mere existence, which is what Celestia is dreading to happen.

"It's frowned upon because it's unusual. Some wouldn't judge you for it, but there's definitely some people who would. And that's something you should get used to, because that's just how the world works."

Bahagyang natulala ang mga kasama ni Celestia kay Columbus na siyang nagsalita. It was the first time since she sat with them that she heard the guy speak. His voice was terrifyingly cold, more than Theodore's. It didn't help that his gaze is just as icy.

Celestia slowly nodded her head in understanding, "I know. I'm aware of that. I'm just... hoping, I guess."

"You better not anymore," Columbus bluntly replied, before returning his attention to what he was previously doing.

"Why don't we show you around? Alam kong na-tour ka na ni Theo, but I'm pretty sure you didn't enjoy that," Nash said after a moment of silence.

"Oo, tama. Tara! We'll show you secret areas the other students haven't discovered yet!"

Without waiting for her response, the three had whisked her away from the dining hall, leaving Columbus and Theodore, the latter watching the new girl all throughout.